University of Gothenburg, Faculty of Science

School Description

The Faculty of Science at the University of Gothenburg embraces all major areas in the fields of mathematics and natural sciences. The Faculty's profile areas include environmental, marine and life sciences. The base in environmental science is varied and comprises most subject areas with several dynamic research programmes.

Gothenburg is situated on the west coast of Sweden and is the largest port in Scandinavia; thus the city has become a natural centre for marine research. This research includes marine chemistry, oceanography and various biological disciplines.

To strengthen the marine profile, the Swedish Institute for the Marine Environment was established at the University of Gothenburg in 2008.

Some of the biology departments are located near the Sahlgrenska Academy, an arrangement that provides a favourable base for the life sciences. In this area, the Faculty of Science and the Sahlgrenska Academy work together to stimulate common areas, such as cell and molecular biology. There are modern and well-equipped facilities for research in natural sciences and biotechnology at the Lundberg Laboratory.

This school offers programs in:

English

Students & Campus

Choose the University of Gothenburg for Your Career in Science!
Welcome to the Faculty of Science. We offer different positions for advancing your science career – from postdoc positions and research fellowships to senior lectureships and full professorships.

The Faculty of Science includes all major subject areas in the fields of mathematics and natural sciences. With 5,800 students and 800 employees, it is the second largest Faculty at the University of Gothenburg.

Should you join one of the departments at the Faculty of Science, you will find an internationally-oriented environment that fully endorses equality and diversity throughout the organisation. We are confident that we can offer you an excellent all-round experience – both professionally and personally.

Nevertheless, we realise that choosing a career in a foreign country is a big step and raises many questions about what to expect. Thus, we would like to give you a general idea of what we and Gothenburg have to offer in terms of benefits and life in general for you and your accompanying spouse/partner. Also, we can offer relocation services as well as advise about research funding and administration.

This school also offers:

Master

If you want to deepen your knowledge in the field of Chemistry, the Master s programme in Chemistry is for you. It provides the theoretical and laboratory knowledge that many employers demand. We offer a challenging programme with great flexibility and a strong link to current research.
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If you want to deepen your knowledge in the field of Chemistry, the Master s programme in Chemistry is for you. It provides the theoretical and laboratory knowledge that many employers demand. We offer a challenging programme with great flexibility and a strong link to current research.
Chemistry is an ever-growing field of central importance in society, even in areas that are not traditionally associated with Chemistry. The demand for people with good knowledge of Chemistry is growing, and the labour market for students with a Master s degree in Chemistry is strong.
The University of Gothenburg is engaged in high-quality research in Chemistry, benefitting from world-class researchers and extensive international cooperation. As a Master s student in Chemistry, you will pursue your studies in a stimulating environment in close contact with the latest research.
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The courses in the Earth science Master's Programme provide depth and diverse possibilities for subject specialisation. The courses also give you extensive experience with new analytical methods and the ability to evaluate and present complex issues within the Earth sciences.
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Against the background of global change, modern society has an increasing need of citizen competence in Earth sciences. The accessibility of Earth science information is greater today, resulting in new areas of application and new methods to manage geo-resources on a local and global basis.
The courses in the Earth science Master's Programme provide depth and diverse possibilities for subject specialisation. The courses also give you extensive experience with new analytical methods and the ability to evaluate and present complex issues within the Earth sciences.
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Ecotoxicology is concerned with the environmental impact of these substances. It aims at characterizing, understanding and finally predicting the effects of toxic chemicals on plant and animal populations, ecological communities and whole ecosystems.
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Roughly 70 new chemicals are described every hour, and modern society uses more than 100 000 of those for different purposes, for example as pesticides, pharmaceuticals or laundry agents. They are embedded in a broad range of products for industry and consumers. All of these chemicals are being potentially released into the environment at some stage of their life cycle.
Ecotoxicology is concerned with the environmental impact of these substances. It aims at characterizing, understanding and finally predicting the effects of toxic chemicals on plant and animal populations, ecological communities and whole ecosystems. As such, Ecotoxicology is the scientific basis for environmental frameworks such as for example the REACH regulation, the Water Framework Directive or the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
As an interdisciplinary science Ecotoxicology has strong connections to Biology, Ecology, Toxicology, Biochemistry, Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, Statistics and Social Sciences. Therefore the Ecotoxicology Programme is run as a collaboration between the Faculty of Humanities, the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology and the Department of Mathematical Sciences.
The programme first provides an overview of Ecotoxicology as a scientific discipline and then you will apply this knowledge in laboratory courses and finally in individual master projects. We will put equal emphasis on theory and practice. The aim is to obtain skills that are necessary for identifying ecotoxicological problems, recognizing essential knowledge gaps and developing appropriate problem-solving strategies.
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This environmental science master program deals with environmental problems at different spatial (local to global) and temporal (the past, present and future) scales and has the ambition to cross both academic and national boundaries.
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Environmental science is a young field of science that deals with the human impacts on nature, cultural heritage and human health. Environmental science studies the threats to our common future on Earth, but also the opportunities that these challenges create.
This environmental science master program deals with environmental problems at different spatial (local to global) and temporal (the past, present and future) scales and has the ambition to cross both academic and national boundaries.
The program is interdisciplinary with a strong basis in natural sciences, but it also includes significant elements of technology and social sciences. The idea is to study environmental issues from three different perspectives:
the knowledge of the causes and nature of different types of anthropogenic impacts and environmental problems is deepened;
the environmental problems are analyzed from many different perspectives, e.g. time trends, severity, geographical extent (local, regional or global), economic aspects and so forth;
many different types of mitigation possibilities are studied thoroughly, such as new technology solutions, design and implementation of international agreement, company strategies and policy making at different levels of society.
The students thus gain in-depth knowledge and competence regarding all aspects of environmental problems (causes, emissions, impacts and mitigation measures), and how those aspects interact. The program aims to, in a balanced manner, include all parts of the internationally approved framework for description of environmental issues, namely DPSIR (Drivers, Pressure, State, Impact, Response) developed by the European Environmental Agency.
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The Master's Programme in Genomics and Systems Biology is recommended for students looking for an exciting and interdisciplinary education at the forefront of modern biology.
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The Master's Programme in Genomics and Systems Biology is recommended for students looking for an exciting and interdisciplinary education at the forefront of modern biology.
In this program you will study how genomes change over time and how life's molecules interact in networks to build up living organisms. This knowledge about the properties of complete biological systems, and not just their individual parts, is also essential in drug development, treatment of diseases and to improve industrial bioprocesses. Genomics and Systems Biology also opens the way for an understanding of evolution at the molecular level, which has implications for how we assess the adaptability of organisms to changing environmental conditions, such as climate change.
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Students graduating from the bachelor program in Marine Science have a broad knowledge about the oceans, including physics of water movement and the chemical processes to the ecosystem structure and function. The system perspective and the experience in interdisciplinary work is a unique competence for the marine graduates.
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Students graduating from the bachelor program in Marine Science have a broad knowledge about the oceans, including physics of water movement and the chemical processes to the ecosystem structure and function. The system perspective and the experience in interdisciplinary work is a unique competence for the marine graduates.
More than 70% of the Earth s surface is covered by the oceans and 40% of the world s population lives closer than 50 km from the coastline. Because the world's marine resources are extensively exploited there is a continuous need to improve management in order to reach a sustainable use of the marine environment. This calls for well educated persons with both broad and specialized knowledge. The master program in Marine Science is an interdisciplinary program that gives the student theoretical and practical tools to improve the conditions in the marine environment in their future work or research activities.
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The programme has the following specializations: Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Financial Mathematics, and Mathematical Statistics.
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The use of mathematical and statistical models and methods have facilitated tremendous advances in knowledge during the last few centuries. Still, it may be today that the growth in ways of applying mathematical sciences is at its greatest, as ever-increasing data-collection and computing possibilities make new application ideas feasible. Examples of this include finding disease-related genes, cryptography for the internet, and risk computations for new financial instruments. At the same time, the strong tradition of pure research in mathematics is continuing, where the research goal is simply to follow the human need to explore, and to understand the logical consequences of axioms. The interplay between these two sides of our field make this a very exciting time to study mathematics.
The Department of Mathematical Sciences has strong traditions in both pure and applied research. The fact that we are a joint department, part of both Chalmers Technical University and University of Gothenburg, gives us a size and contact surface that make many cooperations and specializations possible. We have research groups in algebraic geometry and number theory, biomathematics, complex analysis, computational mathematics, discrete mathematics, harmonic analysis and partial differential equations, kinetic theory, optimization, probability theory, wavelets, bioinformatics and statistical genetics, biostatistics, spatio-temporal stochastic models with environmental and marine applications, population dynamics, particle systems and statistical physics, extreme value theory, telecommunications, material fatigue and reability, environmental statistics, spatial statistics and image analysis, markov theory and algorithmic applications, and mathematical finance.
As well as qualifying for graduate studies in mathematics and mathematical statistics, the Master's Programme can provide you with a background desirable to many employers, such as medical, industrial, consulting, insurance, or financial businesses, or public employers.
The programme has the following specializations: Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Financial Mathematics, and Mathematical Statistics. A number of advanced courses are available for each specialization. It is possible to complement your background with courses on a more basic level, or to follow research-level courses. The specialization towards financial mathematics is a cooperation with the school of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg.
The programme contains a masters thesis project of 30 higher educational credits, which may be done in cooperation with an external institution.
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The programme in organic chemistry and medicinal chemistry offers a challenging education in an exciting, active and dynamic research environment for the chemistry student aspiring to be in the forefront of modern organic chemistry and medicinal chemistry.
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The programme in organic chemistry and medicinal chemistry offers a challenging education in an exciting, active and dynamic research environment for the chemistry student aspiring to be in the forefront of modern organic chemistry and medicinal chemistry.
Organic compounds constitute the foundation of various industries such as the rubber, plastic, fuel, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, detergent, coating, dyestuff, and agrichemical industries. The very foundations of biochemistry, biotechnology, and medicine consist of organic compounds and their role in life processes. Clearly, organic chemistry and medicinal chemistry are important to our high standard of living.
Why study a master in organic chemistry and medicinal chemistry?
The programme will provide you with general and subject-related skills that equip you for employment in various fields: chemical industries, pharmaceutical companies, quality control laboratories etc, public sector, usually with research and development. Other employment possibilities include management, scientific journalism, and research. After fulfilment of the program you will also be a strong candidate for PhD programs in relevant areas.
Subject-matter
The program gives you the necessary knowledge in the field of design and synthesis of substances that may cause specific effects on the body or form the basis of exciting new materials. The program also includes in-depth studies of organic chemical reactions, including principles for stereoselective synthesis and organometallic chemistry. Within the programme you will be able to direct your education towards organic chemistry or medicinal chemistry.
The program includes compulsory courses in statistics and science theory, advanced level courses in organic chemistry and medicinal chemistry, in total 60 HEC, and a degree project of 60 HEC. The degree project is strongly connected to research and supervised by one of the research groups associated with the program. Topics for the thesis are organic chemistry or medicinal chemistry.
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The Master's Programme in Physics is intended for students with a keen interest in either the theoretical or experimental aspects of frontline physics and astronomy. It is possible to specialize in theoretical and/or experimental aspects of particle physics, subatomic physics or astrophysics.
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The Master's Programme in Physics is intended for students with a keen interest in either the theoretical or experimental aspects of frontline physics and astronomy. It is possible to specialize in theoretical and/or experimental aspects of particle physics, subatomic physics or astrophysics.
Understanding the basic laws of physics has been a fascinating problem since the birth of modern science. It is of great intrinsic interest and also forms the basis of other branches of science. Trying to probe the smallest structures of matter and the largest structures of the Universe also drives the development of new technologies.
The skills in problem solving and advanced experimental techniques, as well as collaboration and presentation skills, acquired in this program are highly valued both in the academic world and on the job market. The interested student will also be well prepared to enter a doctoral programme at University of Gothenburg, Chalmers or at another university in both Sweden and worldwide.
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The Atmosphere, Climate and Ecosystems (ACE) Master Programme offers a modern education for students with interest in human activity linked to physical and chemical properties of the atmospheric, climatic and eco-systems.
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The Atmosphere, Climate and Ecosystems (ACE) Master Programme offers a modern education for students with interest in human activity linked to physical and chemical properties of the atmospheric, climatic and eco-systems. The programme provides opportunities to take both fundamental and applied courses in the fields of atmospheric, climatic and earth system sciences. The fundamental courses give the student the tools to use in solving relevant problems in the interaction between atmosphere, climate and ecosystems. The applied courses are directly related to certain important ACE issues, such as international agreements, global change and energy systems. The program is research oriented with leading researchers in ACE areas as teachers in the courses and a full year of thesis work normally done in a research group.
Outline of the program
The program starts with two mandatory courses: Global change - problem, analysis, measures (7.5 hec) and Climate change in an earth system perspective (7.5 hec), followed by optional courses (37.5 hec) hosted by several of the science departments, one more mandatory course in bio geo chemistry (7.5 hec) in the third quarter and a master thesis work (60 hec). Courses are also offered through the Nordic programme Atmosphere-Biosphere Studies (ABS).
Master thesis
It is recommended that your master thesis work (60 hec) is conducted towards the end of the Master's Programme. Doing a 60 hec thesis project is highly research related and beneficial for the understanding of the program topic and can be advantageous for continued studies.
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The Nordic Masters in Biodiversity and Systematics provides an intellectually challenging learning environment with roots in a research group and a wide range of courses, distributed across the Nordic countries, combining theoretical studies with practical elements.
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Biodiversity and Systematics concerns the multitude of organisms living on our planet and the evolutionary relationships among them.
Far from all existing organisms have been discovered and described, and among those organisms science knows of, classification is still ambiguous. With molecular tools and morphological and anatomical observations, new species are continuously being identified and their relationship to other organisms is being disentangled. In this programme, students are trained to gain the systematic and taxonomic expertise needed in our society to be able to take action against global loss of biodiversity.
The Nordic Masters in Biodiversity and Systematics provides an intellectually challenging learning environment with roots in a research group and a wide range of courses, distributed across the Nordic countries, combining theoretical studies with practical elements. The programme is offered in cooperation with other Nordic universities.
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